Environment

The ongoing volcano in Holuhraun, Iceland is now the most dangerous place in the country. Not only is the volcano erupting fire and stones all over the place, but molten lava is also flowing fast in all directions. On top of that life threatening sulfur dioxide (SO2) gas is swarming around the crater and traveling with the wind.

The volcanic activity in Iceland's Holuhraun, north of Vatnajökull glacier, is ongoing and similar to what it was yesterday. Seismicity has been intensive since last night when an earthquake of magnitude 5.5 struck the northern edge of Bárðarbunga. Since August 16th, 13 earthquakes have measured over 5 in magnitude. Over 190 earthquakes have been measured since midnight.

A second effusive fissure eruption started in an ice-free area north of Bardarbunga, early this morning. The eruption is located in the Holuhraun lava field, where a small fissure opened Friday morning. No volcanic ash has been detected but lava has been flowing and flying.

A small lava-erupti­on has been detected und­er the Dyngju­jök­ull glacier. Dyngju­jök­ull is a part Vatna­jök­ull, not far from Bárðarbunga. The aviation color code for the Bárðarbunga volcano has been changed from orange to red.

The Icelandic Met Office has created a 3D video showing the seismic activity in Bárðarbunga volcano. The Bárðarbunga seismic activity can now be explored in a three dimensional video (30 sec.) which shows earthquakes from 16th to 20th August 2014.

The world's eyes are now on Bárðarbunga volcano in Iceland which could erupt at any moment. Just as Eyjafjallajökull did in 2010, Bárðarbunga could disrupt or ground air traffic around the world. Civil Aviation Authorities are monitoring the situation.

This July in Iceland was the wettest in decades. We have not seen more rain in Akureyri (the capital of the North) since the founding of the Republic of Iceland. Akureyri saw 73.1 mm of rain this July, more than double the average precipitation.